Levin aims to rise from Phoenix ashes at the Memorial

June 02, 2012|Mark Lamport-Stokes | Reuters

DUBLIN, Ohio (Reuters) - Four months after suffering an agonizing meltdown at the Phoenix Open, Spencer Levin has a chance to gain sweet redemption in a much stronger field at the Jack Nicklaus hosted Memorial tournament.

The 27-year-old will go into Sunday's final round at Muirfield Village Golf Club with a slender one-stroke lead but battle-hardened after previous close calls on the U.S. circuit.

Levin's best finish on tour was a playoff loss to Johnson Wagner at last year's Mayakoba Golf Classic but his most painful was a third place at the Phoenix Open in February when he led by six shots after 54 holes.

He briefly extended that lead to seven strokes early in the final round before tumbling out of contention as he closed with a four-over-par 75.

"I did learn that I still got to play golf," Levin told reporters of lessons he had gained from that humbling experience in Phoenix.

"I still got to eat the same stuff, still have the same friends, still have the same family, so nothing really changed.

"Obviously you want to win when you're in position, but I'm just going to go out there tomorrow and have fun. It's just going out there and try to do my best."

The chain-smoking Levin came from one shot behind going into Saturday's third round and briefly led by four before finishing with a three-under-par 69 and an eight-under total of 208.

DREAM BREAKTHROUGH

He has several big names in hot pursuit, including four-times Memorial champion Tiger Woods who trails by four, but he was much more focused on the chance to achieve a dream breakthrough on the PGA Tour.

"This is what I've dreamed of ... to be in the lead of a tournament, especially Jack's tournament," said the often emotional Californian, whose father Don played the PGA Tour in the early 1980s.

"This is one of the biggest tournaments on the tour. You couldn't put yourself in a better position. All those years and all that work and practice is going to come down to tomorrow.

"I'm just really fired up about it, I am. I'm really excited."

Levin, at times a fidgety and hot-headed figure out on the course, conceded that he had worked hard to keep his emotions in check during tournaments.

"I still get really angry, I just do a better job now of not making a scene as much," he said. "I feel like if I do hit a bad shot or make a bogey or whatever, and I do get angry, I think of it as kind of a positive.

"You don't want to get angry ... where it ruins the rest of your game, but when guys get angry or frustrated it shows you that they care.

"Some guys don't show any emotion and they care a ton, too. That's just kind of the way I am. I want to do well and I want to succeed, so I think it probably shows when I play."